Fungal issues?

[SWFLchris]

What are these dark, white bordered little spots on my Archontophoenix maxima? I have it planted in a triple and the other two are about 4x the size and not ill like this one. I have noticed some of my 1 and 3 gallon stuff has started showing a few of the same little dots. Is this a fungus of some kind? I have looked online and cant seem to pin-point what it is or how to treat it.

If anyone else has is experienced this or know what it is, please offer some help with this..

I have a bunch of rare Dypsis, Cyphophoenix and Kentiopsis seedlings that would be devastating to loose.

[Allen]

Scale but I'm not 100%.    Not familiar with treating a palm this size.  On my smaller palms I used systemic insecticide but only use if you have to I don't like chemicals.

[Tracy]

32 minutes ago, SWFLchris said:

 

You have a combination of scale and the consequent sooty mold thriving.  For starters you can either use a high powered water blast or for milder cases I have used paper towels and wiped down when I see this.  If that doesn't start to hold it at bay, treat the scale first.  You may also find you have ants which often are working together with the scale.   You will want to eliminate your ant infestation as well if that is the case.  Stay on top of your scale problem with your smaller seedlings before it gets like this!  You don't want them to get

[Palm Tree Jim]

Scale as Tracy has pointed out and his advice is spot on.

The good news is that this is very treatable.......IMHO.

[SWFLchris]

21 hours ago, Tracy said:

You have a combination of scale and the consequent sooty mold thriving.  For starters you can either use a high powered water blast or for milder cases I have used paper towels and wiped down when I see this.  If that doesn't start to hold it at bay, treat the scale first.  You may also find you have ants which often are working together with the scale.   You will want to eliminate your ant infestation as well if that is the case.  Stay on top of your scale problem with your smaller seedlings before it gets like this!  You don't want them to get

Tracy, thank you very much. I have blasted and wiped everything off to start and eliminated any traces of it from my small, potted stuff. The foliage was surprisingly very healthy underneath all of the blackness.

[Merlyn]

I've had good luck with Dinotefuran soil drench and alternating Malathion or Acephate foliar sprays for cycad asian scale on sagos.  Imadicloprid is effective on some scale types, but not on CAS.  If yours is an "armored scale" type then you may need a systemic like Dinotefuran to get all of it.  I'd definitely agree with Tracy.  And make sure you get rid of the ants, they are known to "farm" scale for the honeydew.  Supposedly they'll even grab scale and move them to new plants!